WEC: Porsche Win 6 Hours of Silverstone After Audi Disqualification

[Jack Hunsley]

Porsche have inherited the first win of the 2016 WEC season after the initially race winning Audi was disqualified for a technical infringement.

Whilst the #7 Audi took the win in fine fashion on track, a post race technical check found that the front skid plank on the car of Lotterer, Fassler, and Treluyer was worn beyond the permitted tolerances. Thus, the #2 Porsche has been declared the winner after Audi opted not to appeal the decision.

The action on track was equally dramatic, as both Porsche's threw away good chances to win the race outright. First up was the #1 car, which did lead the race early on, which collided with the Gulf Racing UK Porsche whilst Brendon Hartley was at the wheel, ended both car's races in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile the second Porsche spun whilst chasing down the #7 Audi late in the race.

At the start it was the two Audi's who maintained their lead off the start before several stellar laps from Mark Webber at the wheel of the #1 Porsche, allowed Porsche to breeze past both Audis and into the lead of the race. Meanwhile, the two Rebellion's quickly made progress through the field to challenge Team ByKolles for the best of the privateers, a situation which was quickly resolved as both Rebellion's passed the #4 car with ease.

In LMP2 the #31 Extreme Motorsport entry was able to build a gap in the lead of the category as Bruno Senna tried desperately to get past Roman Rusinov's G-Drive machine, which he eventually managed with a superb overtake into the Maggots and Becket complex, only for the #31 to lose control whilst trying to overtake a backmarker, pitching the car into a spin across the curbs. Luckily however, no damage was done and the #31 was able to continue.

The defining moments of the race however came just after the two hour mark when race leader Brendon Hartley in the #1 Porsche made contact with the GTE Am Gulf Racing UK 911, almost pitching Hartley into a roll and taking both cars out of the race. Then, just minutes after the #8 Audi, contrary to Audi's usually bulletproof reliability, crawled to a halt with a software glitch, bringing both Toyota's into contention.

However that did not last long either, after the #5 Toyota picked up a right rear puncture which not only took them out of contention for the podium spots, but also caused considerable damage on the rear of the car. Toyota's woes also brought out the safety and leveled the fight for the lead with the #7 Audi leading the #2 Porsche.

Porsche's day then went from bad to worse as, whilst trying to catch up to the leading Audi, Neel Jani came together with one of the Ford GT's, pitching the #8 into a spin and pretty much eliminating any chance of a Porsche comeback.

In the other categories it was the #43 RGR entry who took the honours in LMP2. They coming home a lap clear of the #31 ESM car which spun earlier on in the race, whilst the reigning champions G-Drive took 3rd.

Finally in the GT classes Ferrari took the honours in both GT Pro and GT Am. In the Pro class an excellent recovery drive from the #51 machine of Bruni and Calado allowed AF Corse to take a 1-2 finish, well clear of the #95 Aston Martin in third. Meanwhile the Ford GT's both made the chequered flag close behind.

Whilst in GT Am, it was AF Corse again who led the way. The Aston Martin of Dalla Lama, Lauda, and Lamy was second in class with the Larbe Corvette in third. The pole sitting Abu-Dhabi Proton Racing Porsche came home 5th in class.

6 Hours of Silverstone Official Results - Race

1. LMP1 - #2 Porsche Team (Dumas, Jani, Lieb) - 194 Laps
2. LMP1 - #6 Toyota Gazoo Racing (Sarrazin, Conway, Kobayashi) - +1 Lap
3. LMP1 - #13 Rebellion Racing (Tuscher, Kraihamer, Imperatori) - +11 Laps
4. LMP1 - #12 Rebellion Racing (Prost, Piquet Jr, Heidfeld) - +13 Laps
5. LMP2 - #43 RGR Sport by Morand (Gonzalez, Albuquerque, Senna)- +15 laps
6. LMP2 - #31 Extreme Speed Motorsport (Dalziel, Derani, Cumming) - +15 Laps
7. LMP2 - #26 G-Drive Racing (Rusinov, Berthon, Rast) - +15 Laps
8. LMP2 - #37 SMP Racing (Petrov, Ladygin, Shaytar) - +16 Laps
9. LMP2 - #42 Strakka Racing (Leventis, Watts, Kane) - +17 Laps
10. LMP2 - #45 Manor (Rao, Bradley, Merhi) - +17 Laps
11. LMP2 - #35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine (Cheng, Tung, Panciatici) - +18 Laps
12. LMP2 - #37 SMP Racing (Petrov, Ladygin, Shaytar) - +18 Laps
13. LMP2 - #30 Extreme Speed Motorsport (Sharp, Brown, Van Overbeek) - +19 Laps
14. LMP1 - #4 ByKolles Racing Team (Trummer, Webb, Rossiter) - +22 Laps
15. LMP2 - #27 SMP Racing (Minassian, Mediani) - +23 Laps
16. LMP1 - #5 Toyota Gazoo Racing (Davidson, Buemi, Nakajima) - +24 Laps
17. GTE Pro - #71 AF Corse (Rigon, Bird) - +27 Laps
18. GTE Pro - #51 AF Corse (Bruni, Calado) - +28 Laps
19. GTE Pro - #95 Aston Martin Racing (Thiim, Sørensen, Turner) - +28 Laps
20. GTE Pro - #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK (Franchitti, Priaulx, Tincknell) - +29 Laps
21. GTE Pro - #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK (Johnson, Muecke, Pla) - +29 Laps
22. GTE Am - #83 AF Corse (Perrodo, Collard, Aguas) - +31 Laps
23. GTE Am - #98 Aston Martin Racing (Dalla Lana, Lamy, Lauda) - +32 Laps
24. GTE Am - #50 Larbre Competition (Yamagishi, Ragues, Ruberti) - +33 Laps
25. GTE Pro - #77 Dempsey-Proton Racing (Lietz, Christensen) - +40 Laps
26. GTE Am - #78 KCMG (Ried, Henzler, Camathias) - +40 Laps
27. GTE Am - #88 Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing (Al Qubaisi, Hansson, Bachler) - +41 Laps
28. GTE Pro - #97 Aston Martin Racing (Stanaway, Rees) - +43 Laps
29. LMP2 - #44 Manor (Graves, Stevens, Jakes) - +65 Laps
30. LMP1 - #1 Porsche Team (Bernhard, Webber, Hartley) - +124 Laps
31. LMP1 - #8 Audi Sport Team Joest (Di Grassi, Duval, Jarvis) - +125 Laps
32. GTE Am - #86 Gulf Racing UK (Wainwright, Carroll, Barker) - +138 Laps
DSQ. LMP1 - #7 Audi Sport Team Joest (Fässler, Lotterer, Tréluyer) - 194 Laps

 

[Blimey]

Dissapointed.

 

[Eugene Abramoff]

Very unfortunate for Audi, however they were not only ones to suffer from penalties. Here is my short overview of this racing weekend.

http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/a-controversial-racing-weekend.120799/

 

[fortyfivekev]

Disappointing as the Audi drivers drove very well and deserved the win. Not super surprising though to get something like this with very little dry running in practice. Toyota and Ford didn't seem to get their new cars dialled-in to the circuit I guess for the same reason.

 

[R.J. O'Connell]

The flipside of the coin is Rebellion Racing getting onto the overall podium.

The downside is that the Audi #7 is my favourite single team in LMP1 so, yeah, this kinda stinks.

 

[Blimey]

Found it kinda weird that Audi is just racing with 1 car while Porsche and Toyota are rolling with multiple.

 

[Jack Hunsley]

Found it kinda weird that Audi is just racing with 1 car while Porsche and Toyota are rolling with multiple.

Audi have multiple as well

The #8 retired almost immediately after Hartley's crash.

 

[Blimey]

Audi have multiple as well

The #8 retired almost immediately after Hartley's crash.

didn't see that.

 

[Rob]

Disappointing as the Audi drivers drove very well and deserved the win. Not super surprising though to get something like this with very little dry running in practice. Toyota and Ford didn't seem to get their new cars dialled-in to the circuit I guess for the same reason.

Absolutely they did. When you deny a team the victory that was the result of a million different "right" decisions vs. one mistake (have no idea as to intent, since this "illegal" design was not well described) you are playing with fire. Fans (at least those I know) will not put up with this nonsense very long. Audi has a long and storied past in sports-car endurance racing, and LMP1 specifically. (Or P1 in the old ALMS). Absent the sanctioning body ripping wins away, both Audi and Chip Ganassi will do very well in time.

 

[fortyfivekev]

Absolutely they did. When you deny a team the victory that was the result of a million different "right" decisions vs. one mistake (have no idea as to intent, since this "illegal" design was not well described...

The car wasn't an illegal design they just ran it too low and the skid block wore away more than is allowed. It used to happen quite often in F1 back in the day. Not really a big deal I don't suppose a team like Audi will allow it to happen again.

Personally, I think allowing the Ford in GTE is a mistake. It is basically a reshelled DP car and looks and sounds way different to all the other GTE's. The other GTE's are at least derived from a road car but there is no road car version yet for the Ford and if it is successful the other manufacturers will have to build something similar which is going to be expensive for everyone.

 

[Rob]

The car wasn't an illegal design they just ran it too low and the skid block wore away more than is allowed. It used to happen quite often in F1 back in the day. Not really a big deal I don't suppose a team like Audi will allow it to happen again.

Personally, I think allowing the Ford in GTE is a mistake. It is basically a reshelled DP car and looks and sounds way different to all the other GTE's. The other GTE's are at least derived from a road car but there is no road car version yet for the Ford and if it is successful the other manufacturers will have to build something similar which is going to be expensive for everyone.

Whatever it was, I'm not sure I'd want to sit through a six hour race again just to have the police reshuffle the order after I turn off my T.V. And because it happened in F1 is not enough for me. I can understand a major infraction, such as intentional rigging, but this has all the indicators of lack of intent, although I'm not certain.

The DP class, as you know, was NASCAR's attempt to field a road racing spec that looked like the popular ALMS model, the LMP1, yet retain the core philosophy of NASCAR -- low-tech as possible, loud, and identical. It worked. But nobody cared. So, I'd be shocked if any car that passed the ACO/FIA GTE-Pro spec to be even close to a DP car. Those wonderful Corvettes also looked and sounded different when they arrived back in the mid-90s.

So, when WEC mass produced in Europe what had been running in the States for a couple for decades, three different specs had to be reconciled -- DP, GT1, and GT3, No one sanctioning body really had "the standard" except for the ACO, which Don Panos used as a template to form the backbone of the ALMS via his newly owned sanctioning body, IMSA (which NASCAR now owns completely). Yet, the ACO spec was created for a one-off event that was as inclusive as possible, whereas the FIA rules with an iron fist. So, in that vein, I'd vote for inclusion, as the ACO has done with the Ford.

Wiki is sometimes useful, as in this case. The GTE-Pro spec was meant to do three things really: i) reduce costs (HA); ii) be less restrictive'; iii) increase performance. The key here is #2. The big picture is important because, for the first time that I can remember, three of the world's four major sanctioning bodies (ACO, FIA, NASCAR) are attempting to come together to produce a global GT spec. And it's incredibly powerful. The manufacturers are driving this, also, unlike F1. So give and take are paramount. Inclusion, in this case, must take a backseat to evening competition.

I understand also that WEC is basically a continuation of the old ALMS that NASCAR ruined. However, Ganassi is much more than NASCAR these days. He is the genuine article and he could have easily been Gene Haas if Gene Haas was not Gene Haas. He will win eventually.

 

[Jimlaad43]

However that did not last long either, after the #5 Toyota picked up a right rear puncture which not only took them out of contention for the podium spots, but also caused considerable damage on the rear of the car. Toyota's woes also brought out the safety and leveled the fight for the lead with the #7 Audi leading the #2 Porsche.

I was one of the marshals trying to clean that mess up at Brooklands. From the exit of Luffield onwards, it left a trail of fluid, probably brake fluid, as well.

 

[Andrew Harper]

Well I was there for the weekend and I enjoyed both the ELMS and the WEC races

Both fields were impressive (44 cars for the ELMS race) and I'm looking forward to Spa to see who comes out on top with that one. The Toyotas have gone the low downforce route so will be interesting to see how they go in Belgium.

I was sorry to read about the winning Audi but if they miscalculated ride height or suspension then it's a mistake they shouldn't have made. They have appealed remember so the end result may change. I don't remember seeing the car spin but I do remember seeing it run off track a few times in traffic so whether that caused the excessive wear I don't know. Most of the leaders did that anyway.

The Audi is still very new and even for that event they were having lots of new car issues, on the Saturday night both cars were completely stripped down and then rebuilt (it's believed the hybrid system had to be worked on but no statement was given). I wonder if this may have caused the wrong settings on the ride height to be dialled in. There is no warm up now. Remember the other car didn't finish so it could have been disqualified as well.

It happens and yes it's disappointing because I was there and the car that finished first was thrown out, last year the Tequila Patrón team lost a LMP2 podium for exactly the same reason. Half the plank was worn away.

 

[P*Funk]

Whatever it was, I'm not sure I'd want to sit through a six hour race again just to have the police reshuffle the order after I turn off my T.V.

So basically you're saying that the rules are not as important as the uninformed sentiments of the spectators?

This is a silly objection. Audi broke rules that have no bearing on intent. Ride heights were violated apparently ergo the rules were infracted. If you don't enforce a rule then its not a rule.

so whether that caused the excessive wear I don't know.

My understanding from reading about this issue in F1 is that they can tell the difference between sudden events like a spin and persistent wear that would accumulate over the course of a race.

 

[Andrew Harper]

My understanding from reading about this issue in F1 is that they can tell the difference between sudden events like a spin and persistent wear that would accumulate over the course of a race.

Exactly my friend. That's what makes me think it may have just been a setup mistake when then they were doing the overnight rebuilds. Will be interesting to see if any statement is issued or if Audi just decide to move on.

 

[fortyfivekev]

Well I was there for the weekend and I enjoyed both the ELMS and the WEC races...

I could really have done without the snow on Saturday morning. It was so cold in the grandstands my feet were hurting badly. I've said elsewhere but they could also delete the rubbish dj/euro disco/crap fireworks/t-shirt cannons as the WEC build-up and just have grid interviews on the circuit PA as I assume they did on the TV coverage.

Both main races were great although someone needs to handicap Dan Cammish in the Porsche Cup as he was too quick for the others.

 

[Andrew Harper]

I could really have done without the snow on Saturday morning.

Yes because of the good old M25 I missed the snow, but the photos I've seen are just unreal. Having shivered my way through many a wet cold race I feel your pain! (I don't think I'd ever had a warm day at Donington......)

Actually I don't mind the "entertainment" too much, at the grand prix you get almost nothing so anything is a bonus in my view, but yes some pre race or grid driver interviews would have been cool instead of Mr. DJ. Some nice touches like allowing us after the pit walk to go directly across the start straight to the grandstand rather than having to walk/bus back around. My only gripe I guess is we used to hear some driver interviews after the race as well but that seems to have stopped in recent years, maybe they just consider it too late in the day.

Just remembered my only disappointment was anyone sitting in the main grandstand didn't see the Tornado fly over, it must have been right over the top of us.....sounded good though!

My work this year allows me to attend the Blancpain Endurance Series in May so looking forward to that one now, reminds me of the BPR days with grids that large.

 

[fortyfivekev]

Yes because of the good old M25 I missed the snow, but the photos I've seen are just unreal. Having shivered my way through many a wet cold race I feel your pain! (I don't think I'd ever had a warm day at Donington...

Actually I don't mind the "entertainment" too much, at the grand prix you get almost nothing so anything is a bonus in my view, but yes some pre race or grid driver interviews would have been cool instead of Mr. DJ. Some nice touches like allowing us after the pit walk to go directly across the start straight to the grandstand rather than having to walk/bus back around. My only gripe I guess is we used to hear some driver interviews after the race as well but that seems to have stopped in recent years, maybe they just consider it too late in the day.

Just remembered my only disappointment was anyone sitting in the main grandstand didn't see the Tornado fly over, it must have been right over the top of us.....sounded good though!

My work this year allows me to attend the Blancpain Endurance Series in May so looking forward to that one now, reminds me of the BPR days with grids that large.

Yes, the snow sucked,

but I do like to see some authentic Silverstone mud on endurance cars,

I also missed the flyover for the same reason. Always have the same problem at Le Mans as I like the pits grandstand there but the flyovers are always right over the top.

Also planning to be at the Blancpain. The 3 hour endurance race will be the shortest main race for me so far this season after the Silverstone 24 hours, ELMS and WEC. These meetings are good value that's for sure.